Conveying means



c. B. LYNCH 2,416,763

CONVEYING MEANS Filed July 1 2, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 L'V v A March 41947.

a VEN TOR.

March 4 1947.

c. B. LYNCH CONVEYING MEANS Filed July 12, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

March 4 1947. B. LYNCH 2,416,763

7 CONVEYING MEANS Filed July 2, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORL March 41947. c. B. LYNCH I CONVEYING MEANS Fil d Jul 12, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4IN VEN TOR.

A TTOENEYS March 4 1947. CB. LYNCH 2,416,763

CONVEYING MEANS Filed July 9 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 4, 1947CONVEYING MEANS Charles B. Lynch, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The FoundryEquipment Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application July 12, 1944, Serial No. 544,597

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to conveying means and is particularly adapted touse in furnaces and similar locations where articles of considerableweight must be moved mechanically at varying rates of speed.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved conveying mechanismin which the.

speed of motion of the articles carried may be accurately controlled.

Another object is to provide an improved conveying mechanism which willbe simple in construction.

Another object is to provide an improved conveying mechanism which willbe capable of withstanding long and hard usage.

Another object is to provide an improved conveying mechanism in whichparts will be protected against heat.

Another object is to provide an improved conveying mechanism which willrequire relatively little power in its operation.

Another object is to provide an improved conveying mechanism which maybe simply and automatically controlled.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be better understood from the description of onepractical embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a portion of a heattreating furnace provided with a conveying mechanism embodying myinvention;

Figure 2is a plan sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 1, partshaving been omitted for the sake of clarity;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the lineIII-III of Figure 2, and showing only the stationary supporting portionof the structure; I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, to an enlarged scale, similar to Figure3, but showing both the stationary and movable supporting parts of theconveyor;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the end of theconveyor mechanism remote from that shown in Figure 1, to an enlargedscale; and,

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line VIVI of Figure 5. V

The furnace illustrated is defined by side walls i and 2 and ends 3,and, it will be understood, is provided with a top and suitable heatingmeans, which, however, constitute no part of the present invention andare, therefore, omitted for the sake of clarity.

The furnace comprises a generally elongated rectangular chamber havingopenings at opposite ends, into one of which the work or articles to beheat treated may be introduced and through the other of which sucharticles may be discharged and delivered.

The conveyor mechanism moves these articles in a step-by-step manner,and spaced apart as desired, through the furnace within which they are,of course, exposed to the heat required for the process to which theyare being subjected.

The conveyor illustrated is made in three identical sections indicatedat A, B, and C in Figure 2 which may be operated independently orjointly, so that if the furnace is being used for =n'th6 treatment ofsmall articles each section may handle an independent series of sucharticles, while if the articles are larger, two, or even all three, ofthe conveyor sections may be operated together, the articles extendingacross each of these sections and being partly supported by each ofthem.

Inasmuch as the sections are identical, the description of the operatingmechanism of one section will suffice for the others.

Each conveyor section consists of two sets of longitudinally extendingrail-like supports, the members of the two sets being alternatelyarranged, and one set being permanently fixed, while the otherismoveable relative thereto, both vertically and longitudinally.

of rail-like metal members including I beams 4, while the movable railsconsist of a similar series of longitudinally extending memberscomprising I b eamsi. V

The stationary rails 4 are carried by a plurality of stationarytransversely extending beams 6, which extend horizontally across a pit lwhich passes beneath the furnace proper and extends for a slightdistance at each end thereof to receive mechanisms for receiving anddischarging articles and for operating the conveyor.

To raise the stationary rails 4 to the proper heights within thefurnace, there are interposed between them and stationary beams 6,vertical struts 8 carrying at their upper ends short transverse beams 9,0n the topsof which are a plurality of stools ID on which the rails. 4rest.

'The struts 8, beams 9 and stools l0 are all conveniently formed ofrolled metal sections, such as channel shaped sections, and securedtogether The stationary supports are shown as a series as by welding orriveting, being reinforced and stiffened by gussets II and angles I2.

The upper flanges of rails 4 and 5 are each provided with smalltransverse spacers l3, such as short pieces of half rounded bar stockwelded upon the upper surfaces of these flanges to prevent articlescarried thereby from rolling into contact with each other.

The ends of the transverse beams 6 are supported upon ledges of recessesl4, formed in the lining of the pit I, which lining is preferablycomposed of masonry, concrete, or other suitable material and which isalso formed with upwardly extending pillar-like supports for themechanisms which carry the movable rails.

Upon the supports I5 under each conveyor section is a series ofsupporting rollers I1, each carried by a shaft l8 journaled in asupporting bracket shown as consisting of two angles l9 secured as byWelding to a plate 29,, which rests upon the pp r sur a Of u po t '5,

Upon these rollers are supported two horizontal parallel channels 2extending lengthwise of the furnace which constitute, with theirconnecting parts (to be hereinafter described), a longitudinallyreciprocable frame carrying the movable rails 5.

Engaging the upper flanges of these channels are rollers 22, similar torollers H, which hold the channels against undesired upward movement,these rollers being mounted on shafts 23, carried by brackets consistingof angles 24, se-

cured to plates 25, which in turn are secured to side plates 29 to whichare secured, as by angles 30, horizontal top and bottom transverselyextending short channel sections 3| and 32 respectively, these partsalso being connected together and to the channels 2| most convenientlyby welding I The top and bottom channel sections 3| and 32 ofeach' boxframe are provided with hearings or bushings 33 in vertical alignment,through which may reciprocate vertically a supporting post or rod 3:2.This post has secured to it a collar 35, held against longitudinalmovement relative the post by a pin or rivet 35, and is provided withsidewise'extending trunnions 37.

Upon these trunnions are pivoted the upper ends of two links 38, thelower ends of which are pivoted upon a pin 39 fixed in a yoke'flfl,

Also pivoted on the pin "39 are two depending links 4|, the lower endsof which are pivoted by,

pins 42 to the box frame, the pins extending through angle 30 and sideplates '29 and also through blocks 43 secured to the upper surface ofthe channel 32.

Upon the upper end of rod 34 is a supporting beam or arm 44-, having onits upper surface short channel shaped stools 45, which, in turn supportthe movable rails.

These rails have can spacerslfi, similar to the] caps l3 of thestationary rails. I Y

The links 40 span the Supporting posts 34, so-

pivot pins 39 toward and awayfrom the posts so 4 that the links 38 and4! constitute a toggle action, raising or lowering the post dependingupon the motion of the yokes 40.

The yokes 40 of successive box frame stations are connected by rods 46,threaded into the ends of these yokes.

At the station of the pest at one end of the conveyor, shown in Figure5, the yoke has been made in two parts, each being bifurcated and thefurcations of each overlapping and being pivoted upon the same pin 39.

One of these parts 47 is connected to the end of the last bar it, as arethe various yokes 40 of the series, while the other part 48 is threadedto the end of a piston rod 49 carrying in its other end a piston lEareciprocable in a cylinder 50. The cylinder is mounted upon trunnions 5|journaled in the side channels 2|.

It will be apparent that hydraulic pressure may be admitted to eitherend of cylinder 50, and will reciprocate the piston therein, whichreciprocation is transmitted through piston rod 49 to the Various rodsit, causing the yokes 40 and 41 to move in unison and, through-thetoggle action of the links 38 and il, raise and lower the posts 34 alsoin unison.

A bracket 52 is secured to the outer side ofyoke 21, and to this ispivoted a fitting 53 carried by the end of a piston rod 54. This, inturn, is connected to a piston 55, reciprocable in a cylinder 55stationarily mounted upon the concrete foundation of the pit. Hydraulicpressure on eitherside of the piston 55 reciprocates the framesconsisting of the'channels 2| and associated parts horizontally,

The bottom of the furnace 57E closely embraces the stationary struts 3,while through it are formed slots 58 in which the post as may move bothvertically and horizontally to permit the full movement of the parts asthe frames 2| are reciprocated.

Surrounding each post 34 and resting upon, the

topv of the floor 5? is a cover plate 59 having a perforation whichclosely fits the periphery of its post, but which is just loose enoughto permit the post to move. up and down through the perforation withoutlifting the plate above the floor; These plates 59 overlie the slots 58and are of sufiicientextent to effectively cover and close these at allpositions of the post 34, so that all the parts below the floor 5? areeffectively protected from radiant heat passing downwardly from thefurnace, and also from heated currents of air.

If desired, Z-shaped guides may be secured to the top of the floor 57 tokeep the plates 59 from tw st ng on the posts and to prevent theirupward movement.

Thus the space within the pit l is maintained very much cooler than isthat within the furnace. Ordinarily, its temperature is'not much abovethat of the atmospheric outside so that the roll ';other deleteriouseffects; to which conveyor-s within a furnace proper have heretoforebeen sulee jected. a f i i i The. continuous. open space within thepitfroln end to end of the furnace if the. furnace h installed whereextreme cond ons exist, be further cooled by blowing cool airtherethrough, but ordinarily this will not be found necessary,-

The outer ends of the stationary beams 4 are supported by transversearms or beams 60 carried by stationary posts 6| which, in turn, aresupported upon transverse beams 62.

As shown in Figure 1, a step may be secured to the ends of these beamsconsisting of upwardly extending posts 63 fastened to the beams and alsoto angles 64, and carrying transversely extending channel sections 65which will prevent articles from being shoved off the end of thestationary supporting frame by the action of the movable rails,

It will be understood that the valve mechanisms which control the flowof fluid to the cylinders 56 and 56 may be automatically actuated, andthat the actuation of these valves may be such as to vary the length ofstroke of the pistons 49a and 55 as desired, and to interpose anydesired time intervals in any part of the cycle of operation.

When the device is put into operation, a valve is opened to admit fluidto the left hand end of the cylinder 50 (with the parts in the positionsthey occupy in Figure 5).

This moves the piston to the right and pulls yokes 40 also to the right,moving the links 38 and ti to substantially vertical position, andraising the movable rails 5 so that they project above stationary rails4 as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 4.

This motion, of course, picks up the objects upon the carrier, withouttranslating them.

The mechanical advantage of the toggle mechanism increases as thearticles are raised, and their weight, when fully elevated, istransmitted through compression of the links, so that little power isrequired to hold them up.

At the upper end of this lifting step a valve mechanism is actuated foradmitting fluid to the left hand end of cylinder 56. The motion producedby this fluid, moving piston 55 to the right, pulls the entire carriageincluding the supported articles to the right, while the articles arestill elevated by the projecting movable rails 5.

When the carriage has reached any desired position, a valve mechanismmay reverse the flow of fluid into cylinder 59, and introduce thepressure into its right hand end. 7

This will return piston tea to the left, breaking the toggles andlowering the posts 34 to retract the movable rails below the level ofthe tops of the stationary rails, or into the positions Where they areshown by the solid lines of Figure 4.

As the movable rails pass below the level of the stationary rails, thearticles are deposited upon the tops of stationary rails and left thereuntil the movable rails are again elevated.

Upon the lowering of posts 34, the valve controlling the admission offluid to cylinder 56 may be reversed, so that pressure is now suppliedto the right hand of this cylinder, which moves the entire carriage tothe left to its starting position.

Valve mechanisms are illustrated rather diagrammatically in Figure 5.

This figure shows'a valve 56 mounted upon cylinder 50 and having anactuating arm 61. This arm lies in the path of two adjustable dogs 58carried by an extended arm 63 fixed to a stationary plate ll) whichconnects brackets l9 and 24. The lugs may be adjusted along the arm asby set screws H, to adjust the length of stroke per mitted beforeactuation of the valve 66.

6 It will be apparent that as the arm 6'! encounters one or the other ofthe lugs 68, this arm is swung to reverse the flow of fluid to cylinder59, and thus to move the rods or posts 34 in a direction opposite thatin which they have last moved.

Secured to one head of the cylinder 56 is a long spring arm ll, havingan elongated slot or eye 12 adjacent its end remote from the cylinder.

In this slot slides one end of link 13 secured to an actuating arm 14 ofa valve mechanism 15 associated with cylinders 56.

This arm 14 may be provided with a dash pot mechanism 16 with anadjustable port H to serve as a time controlling factor.

Thus, it will be seen that when posts 34 are lowered by piston 49amoving to the left (as seen in Figure 5) cylinder 58 i rocked in acounterclockwise direction and the end of lever 1| is raised. Thisraises the end of arm 14, which actuates valve 15 to admit fluid intothe right hand end of cylinder 56, and so moves the channels 2| andtheir associated parts to the left.

When cylinder 56 swings in a clockwise direction, in raising orextending posts Ed, the right hand end of lever H is urged downwardly,to move arm 14 downwardly and thus reverse the supply of fluid anddirect it into the left hand end of cylinder 55.

The speed with which arm M and the end of spring H can move down is,however, controlled by the dash pot it which may be set to provide anydesired amount of delay in the opening of valve 15. Flexure of spring Hmaintains the downward pressure on arm l4 and the dash pot during thisdelay period.

Thus, the adjustment of dogs 58 limits the length of the horizontalstroke of the conveyor apparatus, while the adjustment of dash pot 16 bymeans of its adjustable outlet ll controls the time consumed per cycleof the apparatus.

Of course, the time taken by an object in passing along the conveyorfrom end to end will be a function of a number of cycles of operationperformed by the movable rails for any given period of time, and also ofthe distance travelled per cycle, and so may be easily predetermined bytwo simple adjustments.

It will be noted that while large and heavy objects may easil besupported on the conveyor bars, the points of support are spaced apartat all times, and that ample space for the circulation of heated gasesand other heating media underneath as well as at the sides and top ofthe articles is provided.

I- claim:

1. Conveyor mechanism comprising a series of stationary rails, a seriesof movable rails, stationary supports for said series of stationaryrails,

. tionary supports for said series of stationary rails,

within the framework, a generally horizontal baille between theframework and the rails hav ing openings through which the supports mayreciprocate vertically and in which they may move horizontally, andclosures for said openings have openings closely fitting the supportsand permitting vertical movement of the supports without movement of theclosures, the closures moving with the supports upon horizontal movementof the framework. 7

3. Conveyor mechanism comprising a series of stationary rails, a seriesof movable rails, sta

tionary supports for said series of stationary rails, a horizontalltranslatable framework, vertical guideways carried thereby, a pluralityof vertically movable supports carried in said guideways and by themguided to be translatable only in a vertical direction relative theframework, elevating means carried by the framework and connected tosaid supports, and bafile means including parts closely surrounding saidsupports through which the supports may move freely when moved by saidelevating means and which move with the supports upon motion of theframework.

4. Conveyor mechanism comprising a series of stationary rails, a seriesof movable rails, stationary supports for said series of stationaryrails, horizontally translatable framework, vertical guideways carriedthereby, a plurality of supports carried in said guideways andsupporting said series of movable rails, links pivoted to saidguideways, links pivoted to the vertical movable supports and to thefirst mentioned links, a connector pivoted to the pivotal joint betweenthe ends of the pairs of links, and moving means connected to saidconnector.

'5. Conveyor mechanism comprising a series of stationary railsa seriesof movable rails, stationarysupports for said series of stationaryrails, horizontally translatable framework, vertical guideways carriedthereby, a plurality of sup- 'ports carried in said guidewaysand'supporting said series of movable rails, links pivoted to. saidguideways, links pivoted to the vertical-movable supports and to thefirst mentioned links, a connector pivoted to the pivotal joint betweenthe ends of the pairs of links, and moving means connected to saidconnector carried by said framework, and moving means connected to theframework.

6. Conveyor mechanism comprising a series of.

rails supported at a fixed elevation, a series, of vertically movabierails, vertically movable. supports carrying the second mentioned seriesof horizontally arranged vertically movable rails, vertically movablesupports carrying the second mentioned series of rails,guides for saidsupports, links pivoted to said supports, links pivoted to said guides,piv- ;otal connections between the ends of said links,

a connector pivotally connected to'the connections between the pairs oflinks, and moving means connected to said connector, stop means limitingmotion of thelinks in one direction to a point where the pivotalconnections of each series are in substantially vertical alignment.

8. Conveyor mechanism comprising a series of stationary rails, a seriesof movable rails, fixed supports for the said first mentioned rails, acarriage, horizontally aligned bearings upon which said carriage mayreciprocate, means for reciprocating said carriage, a plurality ofvertical guides carried by the said carriage, upwardly extendingsupporting posts substantially vertical reciprocable in said guides, aconnector extending lengthwise of the carriage and including a pluralityof yokes surrounding said supporting posts, a connector moving meanscarried by the carriage, each sup porting yoke having pivotallyconnected to it the ends of two links, the opposite ends of one of saidlinks being pivotally connected to the carriage, the opposite end of theother link being pivotally connected with the supporting post, thesupporting posts carrying the movable series of rails.

9. Conveyor mechanism comprising a series of stationary rails, a seriesof movable rails, fixed supports for the said first mentioned rails, ahorizontally arranged carriage, horizontally aligned bearings upon whichsaid carriage may reciprocate, hydraulic means for reciprocating saidcarriage, a plurality of vertical guides carried by the said carriage,upwardly extending supporting posts substantially vertical reciprocablein said guides, a connector extending lengthwise of the carriage andincluding a plurality of yokes surrounding said supporting posts, aconnector moving means carried by the carriage, each support ing yokehaving pivotally connected to it the ends of two links, the oppositeends of one of said links being pivotally connected to the carriage, theopposite end of the other link being pivotally connected with thesupporting post, the supporting posts carrying the movable series ofrails,

valve means controlling said hydraulic means, and adjustable meanscontrolling said valve.

': C. B. LYNCH.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,897,911 McCann et al. Feb. 14,1933 1,883,763 Cochran Oct. 18, 1932 1,941,829 D'orman et al Jan. 2,1934 V FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 638,642 German Nov. 20, 1936

